Some expressions are not be taken literally, as they would not make a lot of sense. For example, vider son sac—literally, "to empty one's bag"—actually means something entirely different. Find out the real meaning of vider son sac and its origin in this video!

Lionel is in Toul, twenty-seven kilometers from Nancy in the northeast of France. This small medieval town has a pretty riverside port and a magnificent Gothic cathedral called Cathédrale Saint-Étienne. Don't miss Lionel's signature pun at the end of this video!

Louise is doing all she can to rescue her grandparents' marriage. She doesn't want them to throw away the forty-two years they had together. She storms off to talk to her grandmother, having had no luck with her grandfather.

In this melancholy piano ballad, Louane Emera confesses her doubts and fears to her late mother. "Everything will start again in the spring," she sings, "except indelible loves."

In the second installment on French expressions not to be taken literally, Patricia discusses the phrase se faire l'avocat du diable (to play devil's advocate).

Lionel and his cousin Jean-Pierre continue their visit to the Lindre-Basse area with its amazing natural surroundings. The ponds teem with fish and birds for a while before being drained and then used for cultivation, which in turn will enrich the soil after they're refilled.

Patricia is in a dark mood.... Learn some expressions using the word noir (dark, black) and express your dark feelings in French!

Louise's desperate pleas to her grandmother fall on deaf ears. On the verge of divorce, her grandparents are starting to go their separate ways and dismiss their granddaughter's appeal for reason and reconciliation.

In this educational video, you will learn about the powers of the French president, which were redefined at the behest of Charles de Gaulle in 1958.

Still in the Lindre-Basse region, Jean-Pierre explains the fish breeding process to Lionel. They also enjoy the beautiful sight of storks building their nests during mating season.

Journalists spent a week in Aulnay-sous-Bois interviewing young people about ongoing issues and clashes with the police. In the Cité des Trois Mille district, which includes 3,000 public housing units, cultural and sporting organizations are stepping in to make up for the lack of public services.

Daniel takes us north of Paris to Montmorency, a charming little town with a collegiate church called the Collégial Saint Martin. This historic town is only a stone's throw away from the ultramodern business district of La Défense.

René has set up a date with a woman he met online. It's a date he'll surely remember, as he's going to get more than he bargained for, thanks to his granddaughter's scheming...

Maître Gims teams up with Niska for "Sapés comme jamais." Dressed as a sapeur, a sort of Congolese fashionista, Maître Gims embraces his Congolese identity with panache and impeccable style.

Jean-Pierre gives Lionel some more information about the habits of storks. These migratory birds can be trained to be sedentary so visitors have a chance to see them year-round.